1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bottle and clip attachable to a belt or waistband of clothing and, more particularly, to a such a bottle having a track for removable attachment of the clip, with the clip being additionally adhesively attached to a bottle not having such a track.
2. Summary of the Background Art
Many people prefer to drink certain types of bottled water or other drinks to an extent sufficient to justify carrying a personal supply of such liquids with them. While such liquids are readily available in grocery and convenience stores in small bottles suitable for individual consumption, a particular problem arises during walking, jogging, or while performing other moving exercises in that it is inconvenient to a bottle of liquid in one's hand. While such exercises tend to stimulate thirst, they also often carry the individual into locations where bottles of the desired liquids are not available. Thus, what is needed is a convenient method for attaching such a bottle to one's clothing so that it can be carried while the hands are left free.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,331,721 and 6,168,057 each describe a U-shaped clip that can be applied to an object to facilitate holding the object by means of the clip on one's belt, waistband, or on another supporting edge of ones clothing, such as a pocket. Each of these clips has an inner leg to extend downward inside the belt or clothing and an outer leg, also extending downward from the top of the clip, with an outer surface having means for attachment to the object to be held. In the device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,721, the outer surface of the outer leg has a rectangular adhesive pad and a removable protective liner, so that the object to be held is securely clip. In the device of U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,057, the outer surface of the outer leg has the first strip of a pair of removably attachable fastening strips. The second strip is provided with an adhesive backing and a release layer, so that the object to be held is releasably attached to the clip. In the device of each of these patents, the outer surface of the outer leg is flat, so that the clip can only be attached to an object having a flat side, such as a walkie-talkie, a cordless telephone, or a single-use camera. What is needed is a clip having a curved outer surface with an adhesive layer for the attachment of a generally cylindrical object, such as a water bottle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,572 describes a supporting device for sports bottles having a liquid container with an integral neck and a cap that fits on the neck to hold the sports bottle in a vertical position. The supporting device is an integrally formed manufacture having a retaining section with a hole to fit over the neck of the container and is secured against vertical movement when the sports bottle cap is screwed down. Integral with the supporting device is a mounting tab which extends downward toward the container's base at or near the side of the sports bottle container when the supporting device is secured on the sports bottle. The bottle can now be hung by placing the mounting tab over one's belt to free his hands while he is walking. Additionally, by adhering a receiving block, having a hole that accepts the mounting tab, in a convenient location within a car a sports bottle can be hung within a car within easy reach of the user This device relies on the wide mouth of the bottle to hold the supporting device in place on the bottle and on the use of a straw to drink from the bottle, eliminating a need to unscrew the cap, which would loosen the attachment of the supporting device to the bottle. Thus, what is needed is a supporting device that can be used with many types of bottles, including the small bottles, without wide necks, in which spring water is often sold.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,325,991 and 5,381,932 each describe a holder including a hollow cylinder, open at the top, for holding a cylindrical object, such as a bottle, cup, or can, and additionally including an attachment member having an inner leg that can extend downward inside a belt or waistband and an outer leg removably attached to the hollow cylinder by a two-part fastener, such as a VELCRO fastener. What is needed is a low-cost clip that can be attached to a disposable bottle and disposed with the bottle, eliminating a need to return with a large empty holder.
Other patents describe specialized containers into which a fluid is poured before it is consumed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,464 describes a wide-mouth drink bottle having one strip of a two-part fastener extending along one side of the bottle. The mating part of the two-part fastener extends along the side of a vertical strap having a pair of loops through which the user's belt is placed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,145 describes a body-mounted water dispensing system for providing a convenient method of drinking liquids while exercising. The system includes a water container and pump, mounted on a belt, together with an outlet hose and drinking tube extending upward to the wearer's mouth. Again, what is needed is a low-cost disposable system. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,743,620 and 6,260,731 each describe a specialized bottle including a clip allowing the bottle to be attached to clothing. What is needed is a system allowing the use of readily available disposable bottles, without requiring the fluid to be poured into another container before it is consumed, and similarly eliminating a need to wash the container after use.